- Idris noted that collaboration between the two tiers of government would effectively provide necessary developmental template for the local government councils
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has attributed the failure of many federal government programmes and policies to the exclusion of state government in decision making process.
The governor harped on the need for stronger ties between the federal and state governments to bring the needed development to the people.
The governor spoke on Friday while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja.
Idris noted that collaboration between the two tiers of government would effectively provide necessary developmental template for the local government councils.
Idris emphasised that the state governors and local council chairs are closer to the people and are aware of their challenges.
“Does the federal government have farmers? Farmers are in the states. Even the vulnerable people are in the states. The state governments and local governments have vulnerable people.
“That is why some of the policies of the federal government fail because they do not carry states and local governments along,” said Mr Idris.
The governor stated that government must focus on and prioritise projects and programmes that are critical to survival of the people and positively change their lives.
“I discovered a federal government road project in my state that, as a governor and an APC governor for that matter, I was not aware of.
“In Kebbi State, we have a couple of roads that need urgent federal government intervention because they are central to the survival of our people, but surprisingly, a federal road project that is of little or no value to us as a people found its way into the 2024 federal budget,” said Mr Idris.
He added that, to show sincerity of purpose, the state government has agreed to fix those priority roads and pay them back when the federal government deems it fit.
“Now, the road that the government has captured in the budget for construction at about N158 billion is even fairly motorable and half of that amount can fix the roads that our people use often.
“I told them that democracy is very clear. When you cast your vote for a political party and the party wins, the expectation is that it will pay you back in terms of the provision of basic amenities.
“And this is payback time because our people put in place state and central governments, and as leaders of the All Progressives Congress, we must not fail the people who have confidence in us,” the governor said.